


Red Flowers, White Thorns

by Lorraine_B_Writing



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Death, Descriptions of Blood, F/M, FLUFFY IS FINE, Fluff, Her Name is Margot uwu, TW: Gunfire/Being Shot, Wedding, close to death, oc child - Freeform, revival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:35:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24087451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lorraine_B_Writing/pseuds/Lorraine_B_Writing
Summary: Tragedy is a common theme in Nathalie Sancoeur's life. But she thought she was meant to be alone.Nathalie is never alone and has a profound root in the Agreste's life.
Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Nathalie Sancoeur, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	Red Flowers, White Thorns

_“What are your plans for the future, Miss Sancoeur?”_

_“When I’m an adult, I’m going to be a successful entrepreneur! I’ll have a business of my own, with dozens of employees! We’ll change the world for the better, making peoples’ lives better!”_

_“And once that’s done, will you settle down, have a family?”_

_  
__“Well… no. I… This dream would be impossible if I had a family.”_

* * *

Twenty plus years later, it was still impossible. Nathalie could never have a family while she still worked for the Gabriel brand. She didn’t have time to see anyone or even keep friends really. She lived and breathed her job. Files were her children. Emails were her friends. And her boss?

Well, Nathalie wasn’t exactly sure where he fits into that analogy. Most likely he’d be her husband, with how often he needed her attention. Not that Nathalie would mind. Her affections had grown for the man and his cause every day she worked for him, to the point where she’d risk death for his success.

“Nathalie.”

Her name on his lips was enchanting, especially when he talked so softly, as he did now. Blue irises trembled as she answered him, “Mr. Agreste?”

A smile, reserved just for her. Strong but gentle arms around her shoulders, soft lips on her cheek. A low voice, at a whisper. “My love…”

* * *

_“Nathalie!”_

* * *

“Let’s go back to bed, darling. Let’s rest.”

She was lifted, carried to bed. The sheets were silky to the touch, the mattress just firm enough to support, soft enough to lay on and feel as if one was lying on a cloud.

A kiss on her forehead, her glasses being slid off her face.

“Is it everything you’ve ever wanted?”

Nathalie smiled, rolling over to face her lover. “ _Oui_.” She kissed him, savoring the sweetness his skin bore.

“Let’s stay here, _forever_.”

“Mm… I wish I could…”

“Why not?”

Nathalie felt a chill down her spine. Something was clearly wrong. “What? No, no, we can’t stay here, not _forever…_ ”

“Stay, love, stay… _forever_.”

* * *

_“Nathalie, please, answer me!”_

_“Sir, please, stand back!”_

_“NATHALIE!”_

* * *

“You’re not him… You’re not my Gabriel…”

Gabriel frowned. “Whatever do you mean, my darling? It’s me. You’ve known me for years.”

“You… you look like him, sure.” Nathalie eased out of bed, shuffling towards the door. “But you’re not him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Come back to bed.”

Nathalie shook her head, rattling the doorknob. “It’s locked… Gabriel, this isn’t funny. Unlock the door.”

“You’re trying to leave me? Why? You’re safe now, with me, your love. Nathalie…”

“No! You’re not him! Let me out!”  
  


Gabriel’s expression grew dark. His eyes began to take on an ethereal glow, his voice distorted and distant when he spoke, “You can’t go back.”

“What?”

“You can’t go back. You’re here now, _forever_.”

* * *

_“Nathalie, please, my darling, wake up—!”_

* * *

It was time. Gabriel adjusted his tie for what seemed to be the fifth time in an hour. He stared himself down in the mirror, scrutinizing for any threads out of place, any loose buttons, any popped seams. 

“Papa, you look fine.”

Adrien was right. There wasn’t a flaw on him. But Gabriel still felt as if something was off. He sighed, turning to his son, who wore a black suit with green embellishments. His usually unruly hair was styled out of his face similar to his father’s usual style. Gabriel chose to leave his hair looser, so it would look “fluffy”, as his son affectionately referred to it.

“You’re sure? This may be one of the most important days of my life. I won’t have a simple thing like a loose thread ruin it.”

“ _Papa_. You look fine.”

“Mm. I hope you’re right.”

Adrien smiled, taking his arm. “Everything will fall into place, Papa, I’m sure of it. Now, we’ve got to locate—”

“Adree!”

A small girl with fiery red hair and a smattering of freckles ran up to them, grinning widely. She wore a spring-green dress with little white shoes and stockings. Gabriel smiled at her, taking her in his arms.

“Hello, my little moth-ball.”

“Papa! Mama looks soooo pretty! You’re going to… um… what was the word again, Adee?”

“‘Swoon’, Margot.”

Margot giggled. “Yeah, Papa, you’re gonna swoon when you see Mama!”

“Mm. I believe it. Your mother is quite beautiful already, I’m sure she—”

“Gabriel?”

Nathalie peered around the corner, a soft flush on her cheeks. “I know it’s ‘taboo’ to see each other prematurely, but…”

Gabriel chuckled. “Do you really believe what they say?”

Nathalie stepped further into the room, grinning. “Absolutely not.”

Sharp breath in. Gabriel studied her figure, in her dress. A dress that he had designed for her, but it was much more than that. He had worked on dozens, _hundreds_ of dresses, many of them wedding gowns, but this? The dress was merely a dress until _she_ wore it. A very loose draping of fabric, only the curves of her shoulders and neck showing, and yet, it shaped her beautifully. Delicate lace with pearl beading encapsulated her throat, with small butterfly shapes formed on it. Her veil was rather plain, but it covered her entirely, the blusher on it nearly as long as the veil itself.

Nathalie slowly approached her husband-to-be, her half-covered hands gently taking his. “Do I look alright?”

Gabriel felt himself tearing up already. “Ethereal, my darling.”

* * *

“Let me go! I want to return to him!”

Not Gabriel took her wrist, throwing her onto the bed. “You cannot be with him. You can never return.”

Nathalie sobbed, clawing at the bedsheets. “No… please… let me be with him! With my husband! With my son! With my daughter!” She took a shaky breath. “My… my family… I need them… they need me! PLEASE!”

“No. You will never leave.”

“Damn it…” Nathalie stood up, clutching her side suddenly. _Pain_ …

Not Gabriel stood there, watching her crumple. “What are you doing?”

“I… It hurts…”

“It shouldn’t.”

Nathalie felt her throat close up, beginning to fight for breath. She nearly hacked up a lung, gripping the mattress. Suddenly, the outfit she had been wearing faded to a white gown, with no shoulders, that went to her feet and past her wrists, covering a large portion of her hands. Lace surrounded her throat, and her hair was pulled back from her face. Nathalie’s hand brushed against her midriff, where she felt moisture.

Pulling her hand back, it was scarlet with her own blood.

* * *

“Mama! You look beautiful!”

Nathalie picked her daughter up, kissing her forehead. “Thank you, Maggie…” She smiled at Gabriel, drifting closer to him. “There’s still time to back out, but you might have a hard time getting to the door.”

Gabriel huffed a laugh, bringing her close. “I have wanted this for far too long to give up now.” He kissed his bride’s nose, then his daughter’s temple, then attempted to kiss his son’s hair but was rejected, with a disgruntled “Papa!” followed by a laugh.

_“Gabriel…”_

Margot giggled, twirling in her skirt once she was set down. “Someday I want to be as pretty as Mommy!”

_“Margot…”_

Adrien smiled, taking his little sister’s hands and twirling her around. “You’re already beautiful, Maggie.” He grinned. “Though whoever decides that they’d be good enough for my little sister best turn around and give up now.”

_“Adrien…”_

“We should be getting into places, my darling.”

Nathalie nodded, following him out. She took her flowers from Penny, her maid of honor, shaking a bit but smiling broadly. 

With ease (and a firm arm provided by the Gorilla), she made it down the aisle of the church just fine, taking Gabriel’s arm. He smiled down at her, blinking away the tears he had shed watching her approach.

They kneeled in front of the priest, one hand still connected to the other.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…”

_Let me go._

_Let me return to them, to this!_

“...in sickness and in health…”

_Let me go!_

“... till death do us part…”

_NOW!_

“I, Nathalie Sancoeur, do solemnly swear to— agh!”

Nathalie collapsed, blood pooling in the front and back of her dress. Someone in the back of the church had fired two rounds when she was turned, hitting her abdomen.

Gabriel cried out, taking her in his arms. 

Margot screamed for her mother, Adrien running to her and holding her close, trying to calm her down.

The congregation turned to the back of the church, an unknown gunman standing at the back. Gorilla charged after him, the rest of the audience in a flurry of panic.

An ambulance showed up five minutes later, the paramedics lifting Nathalie onto the gurney. Gabriel tried to follow, calling Nathalie’s name, but they stopped him, brushing him aside. He started to plea, to beg to stay with her, but they took her away.

Adrien reached his father’s side, tears in his eyes as he patted Margo’s back. Margot’s cries were muffled as Gabriel took her in his arms, holding her close while murmuring comforting words. 

The church was silent, watching the Agreste’s interact at the front by the altar. Adrien clung to his father now, too, despite being a nineteen, almost twenty-year-old. He started to sob just as hard as Maggie now did, scared and confused.

Gabriel sat down on the steps leading up to the altar with them, his own tears falling on his suit jacket and the tops of his children’s’ heads. He sat with them for a few hours, declining offers of water or food, until he caved, knowing that his son and daughter should eat. He led them to the car, driving to the venue they had intended to hold the reception in.

Adrien refused to eat. Maggie initially refused to eat but nibbled on a cookie once she spotted them. 

“Please eat something, Adrien.”

“No.”

“Adrien…” Gabriel’s voice had dwindled to a whisper, “please.”

Seeing his father’s face creased with dread, Adrien also took a cookie, finishing it rather quickly. He took another, making an effort to demonstrate he was listening to his father, who nodded his approval and returned to his silent worrying.

Maggie patted her father’s hand, reaching up to him. He took her on his lap, kissing her hair.

“Margot, would you like to play games on my phone?”

“I… yes, Papa, I would.”

Gabriel obliged, opening it to her favorite running game and setting it in front of her. He leaned back in the chair, nearly smiling at the normalcy his daughter playing games brought.

After an hour, Maggie nudged Gabriel awake— when had he fallen asleep? He rubbed his eye under his glasses, fumbling to say ‘What is it?’ and instead saying “A is-es?”

“You’re getting a call, Papa.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened, his hand gripping the phone tightly as he answered. “Gabriel Agreste speaking.”

“Mr. Agreste. Your fiancee is alive, but she is in a fragile state. She’s unresponsive. I’m very sorry to say this, sir, especially today of all days, but it’s time to say goodbye before it is too late.”

The phone cracked against the ground, Gabriel shaking. This was _not_ happening, not _today!_

“Papa?”

Margot, who hadn’t heard the whole conversation, asked softly, “Can we see Mama?”

Gabriel gripped his heart, crumpling into himself. “No… no…” He started to sob again, nails digging through his clothes into his skin. “Please, no…”

Not her. Not _again_. Was he cursed or something?

Why did the world insist on taking his love away from him?

* * *

“They miss you.”

Nathalie still remained on the floor, gasping with each breath. “You…” She coughed. “I need to be with them.”

“No.”

“PLEASE. I’ll do anything.”

Not Gabriel looked away. “That’s not how it works. I cannot simply—”

Nathalie gagged, trying not to vomit. The blood pooling in her lungs was threatening to overtake her now, make her succumb to her fate.

“Is this some kind of hell? Am I doomed to feel as if I’m slipping away, _forever_?”

Not Gabriel’s eyes filled with tears. “You really do love him, then? Even after all that he’s done?”

“Yes. I love Gabriel. I love Adrien. I love Margot. I love all of my friends, I love my mother, my father, my sisters, hell, I even love Audrey Bourgeois, even if she annoys the _shit_ out of me!” Nathalie’s nails scraped against the floor. “I’d gladly return to them even if it meant spending the rest of my life with _her_ in my life.”

“Nathalie.”

“Yes?”

Not Gabriel smiled, kissing her cheek. “I’ll see you on the other side, my love.”

* * *

Nathalie’s eyes fluttered open, taking in her surroundings. Nurses were standing to one side, Gabriel, Adrien, and Margot to another. Their eyes were closed, solemn expressions on their faces.

“It’s time.”

Gabriel put an arm around both kids’ shoulders. “Goodbye, Nathalie.”

The life-support machine Nathalie was hooked up to shut off. The tubes were removed from Nathalie’s throat and hands, Nathalie lying still as they did all of this. Once they were done, however, she stretched, groaning. “Surely you’re not getting rid of me already.”

“Wh— MAMA!”

Adrien and Margot scrambled to hug her, clutching as tightly as they could. Gabriel went around the other side of the bed, kissing her desparately with his hand behind her head. 

“My darlings…” Nathalie kissed them one-by-one, ending with returning Gabriel’s kiss, lingering by his face for a moment. “You’re definitely real, thank goodness…”

“I… won’t ask,” Gabriel chuckled, kissing her temple. “I don’t know how you did it, Nathalie, but I’m glad you did.”

Nathalie sighed, smoothing Margot’s hair with her hand. “I’m not honestly sure, either… I just… woke up from a nightmare, I suppose. But it felt so real, at least most of it…”

“Perhaps you saw the afterlife, mama.” Adrien sat up. “What was it like?”

“Mm, not very pleasant. Rather lonely, actually, it was just me and—” Nathalie frowned. “Someone that looked like your father, but lacked a sense of heart, a soul…”

Gabriel sat down on the chair beside her, taking her hand. “Darling, you’ve had my heart for a long time now. As for my soul, well, I can’t say I’ve ever had one.”

Nathalie laughed hoarsely, now feeling the effects from the life support. “Oh, Gabriel…”

Margot yawned, tired from the days events. “Mama… does this mean that you’re not married to Papa after all?”

“I’m not sure, little one. Worst case scenario, we have a courthouse wedding sometime soon. Though I doubt I’ll forget this wedding…”

Gabriel shook his head. “Neither will I.”

Nathalie smiled. “If we can get through this, we can get through anything, hmm?”

Nodding, Adrien grinned. “Nothing can stop the Agreste family!”

Margot let out a soft “yay” before falling forward onto her mother’s chest, sound asleep. Nathalie kissed her hair, adjusting herself to make them both more comfortable.

“It’ll likely be a few days of recovery for you, Nathalie, but I hope you’ll be able to come back soon.”

“I’d like that. I don’t know what I’d do without my family.”

“We don’t know what we’d do without you,” Gabriel murmured.

Nathalie let out a laugh, making a stray comment about Gabriel’s questionable parenting techniques in the past, Gabriel mimicking a shocked face and following her retort with one of his own. Adrien laughed, wincing when Margot rolled over but let out a relieved sigh when she continued to sleep. 

The Agreste family was whole at last, and despite the thorns, the red flowers bloomed and smelled ever so sweet.

**Author's Note:**

> Little one-shot I had an idea for and ran with. It's a bit short when it comes to one-shots, but it's actually longer than a usual chapter of my fanfictions -- over 2500 words!


End file.
